Workforce intelligence
Manufacturing workforce management: the right people on the right line
Manufacturing workforce management software plans and records who works where and when: time and attendance at the gate, shift schedules, overtime, contract and temporary labor, and the skills each person is certified for. Linked to production data, it shows labor cost and productivity per line and shift, so staffing decisions are made on facts rather than headcount alone.
Free scoping call. We start with one line, never change your machine logic, and you own the code and the data.
- material movements tracked a day, integrated steel plant
- 720,000+
- fewer dispatch errors with RFID and barcode dispatch
- 90%
- items an hour through RFID warehouse automation
- 16,800
Company reported project figures, not independently audited, not a promise for another plant. Samsung Business Insights: our RFID warehouse automation story (opens in a new tab). Forbes India Brand Connect (sponsored): founder profile (opens in a new tab).
Sound familiar?
- Overtime keeps rising, and nobody can say whether it recovers downtime or covers absence.
- Shift rosters live in a spreadsheet and gaps are found at the start of the shift.
- Contractor attendance and agency invoices never quite match.
- Labour cost is known per month, never per line or per unit produced.
Each of these is output, margin or time you have already paid for and are not getting back.
What you get
The shift reality mapped
Shifts, gates, contract labour, overtime rules and current tools.
One problem solved first
For example overtime cost, absenteeism or skills coverage on one line.
Labour next to output
Attendance and shifts joined with production for output per labour hour.
Payroll fed, not replaced
Approved hours and overtime sent to your payroll provider.
How we work
What we build
We build and integrate plant workforce systems: attendance capture, shift scheduling, overtime and contract labor tracking, skills matrix and labor analytics, connected to your payroll provider and to production data. In India, our Ankastra platform covers attendance, payroll and contract labor compliance; we have also built custom HR systems for large contract workforces with biometric integration. For US plants we work alongside your existing HR and payroll systems.
How we start
- 1Map the shift reality. Shifts, gates, contract labor, overtime rules and current tools.
- 2Pick the first problem. For example overtime cost, absenteeism or skills coverage on one line.
- 3Connect the data. Attendance and schedules joined with production output.
- 4Extend. More lines, skills matrix, contract labor and payroll feeds.
How it works
Why generic HR software falls short on the plant floor
- Rotating and split shifts, and night shifts that cross midnight.
- Staffing is by station and skill, not by department.
- Large contract or temporary workforces with their own billing.
- Hundreds of people clocking at the same gate at shift change.
- Managers need labor data next to production data, not in a separate HR report.
Connecting workforce and production data
The most useful workforce metric in a plant is output per labor hour by line and shift. That needs attendance and shift data joined with production counts from the MES or production monitoring system. Once joined, plants can see which shifts are under or over staffed, where overtime is driven by downtime, and how skills gaps affect output.
Background
What plant workforce management covers
| Area | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Time and attendance | Clock in and out by badge, biometric or face recognition, with shift and gate rules |
| Shift scheduling | Rosters by line and skill, swaps, absences, coverage gaps |
| Overtime | Approval rules, limits and cost by department |
| Contract and temporary labor | Agency workers, contractor attendance and billing reconciliation |
| Skills and certifications | Skills matrix, training records and expiry alerts |
| Labor analytics | Hours, overtime, absenteeism and output per labor hour by line and shift |
When we are not the right choice
- You need a US payroll provider. We work with yours rather than replace it.
- Your workforce is small and on one fixed shift.
Common concerns, answered
Will this disrupt production?
No. We connect read only first, install during planned stops, and edge devices buffer data so a network problem never stops a machine. Nothing writes to a PLC without your controls team and a test.
Our machines are old. Do we need to replace them?
No. Old machines are the usual case. A running signal, a cycle signal or a current sensor on the motor is enough to start, without touching the machine program.
We tried a system before and nobody used it.
That is the most common failure, so we design with the operators and supervisors who will use it, start with one report they already fill in by hand, and only extend once they rely on it.
What about IT security?
Read only by default, a segmented OT network, and a review with your IT team before anything connects, following the ISA/IEC 62443 zone approach.
We will not replace SAP or Oracle. Do we have to?
No. We connect to the ERP you already run through its standard interfaces and add what the shop floor is missing. Your ERP stays the system of record.
Do your engineers understand a heavy industrial floor?
Our systems run in steel plants, warehouses and process lines. We start every project by walking the line with your operators and supervisors, and the first release is tested by them, not only by IT.
Are we locked in?
No. You own the source code and the data, documented, in your own repository. Another team can maintain it.
Frequently asked questions
Do you replace our payroll system?
In the US, usually not. Payroll stays with your provider, and the workforce system sends it approved hours, overtime and shift data.
Can workforce data be linked to OEE and production?
Yes. Joining attendance and shift data with production counts gives output per labor hour and shows where overtime is caused by downtime.
Can you handle contract and temporary labor?
Yes: attendance of agency and contract workers, reconciliation with agency billing and compliance records.
What is Ankastra?
Ankastra is our workforce management platform for Indian manufacturers, covering attendance, payroll and contract labor compliance. It is available at ankastra.in.
Related reading
References
Start with one line and one number
We scope one line, agree the number that should move, and show it moving before anything is scaled. You keep the code and the data.
Step 1
An engineer reads it
Not a sales bot. Our team replies within 24 hours with questions or times for a call.
Step 2
30 minute call
Your process, machines, systems and the number you want to move. We tell you honestly if we are a fit.
Step 3
A written scope for one line
What we would connect, what you would see, how long it takes. You decide; nothing starts without your approval.
Reviewed by Amey Kadle, Founder, Ajinkya Technologies. Last reviewed: .